Monday, February 19, 2007

Drive along Hayes, across Van Ness, and before you turn right onto Franklin look up and you'll see the brick eastern wall of the Estella Apartments on 340 Hayes.This side of the building attracted my attention many years ago because of the white lettering painted at the top advertising the building as having a "steel frame" and "electric refrigerators".

This apartment building is unusual for San Francisco. It uses brick for all the exterior walls, and has metal framed windows. Only commercial buildings and warehouses were built like this. Residential buildings were wood or reinforced concrete with wood framed windows.

Many smaller SF buildings have brick facades, but look down the side of the building and you will see wood siding.